1. Field of the Invention
Embodiments of the present invention relate to an apparatus and method for remotely testing multiple communication channel inputs to a vehicle computer.
2. Background Art
U.S. Pat. No. 4,694,408 (directed to an apparatus for testing auto electronics systems) and U.S. Pat. No. 4,831,560 (directed to a method for testing auto electronics systems) disclose an interactive system and method for testing vehicle electronics systems in which various vehicle subsystems are exercised under the control of a tester unit while the performance of associated subsystems are monitored to detect and isolate malfunctions. The tester includes interchangeable program cartridges that can be easily inserted to adapt the unit for a variety of different vehicles and test procedures, and also optional interchangeable input/output cartridges for test procedures in which additional access to or from the tester or peripheral devices is necessary. The test unit accesses the vehicle's electronics data bus by means of an assembly line diagnostic link, the access being accomplished via a multiplexer that makes it possible to locate faults on the data bus itself. The tester greatly reduces the time and effort necessary to analyze malfunctions in the field, and is considerably more comprehensive than prior test equipment.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,541,840 directed to a handheld automotive diagnostic service tool discloses a system and method for diagnosing and isolating problems and for monitoring operating conditions on an automobile. The system includes a hand held unit and a master station which can operate alone or in unison to accomplish functions such as logging and displaying data on a real-time basis, logging data remotely and displaying the data at a later time, diagnosing fault conditions, monitoring operating parameters, reprogramming on-board vehicle controllers, displaying service manual and service bulletin pages and ordering parts on-line.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,603,394 B2 directed to a multi-protocol wireless communication module discloses a wireless communication module that communicates with a remote station and a plurality of motor vehicle control units that implement at least two different communication protocols within a single motor vehicle. The wireless communication module includes an RF interface, a processor and a selectable multiple protocol interface. The processor communicates with the RF interface and thereby communicates with the remote station. The processor executes diagnostic routines and thereby provides commands to one of the plurality of motor vehicle control units. The selectable multiple protocol interface is coupled between the plurality of motor vehicle control units and the processor. The selectable multiple protocol interface converts processor commands into a format that is readable by the selected motor vehicle control unit and converts received diagnostic information into a format that is readable by the processor. If desired, both the selectable multiple protocol interface and the processor functionality can be incorporated within the field programmable gate array.